Uncovering fashion

Uncovering
Fashion
f
Fashion Communications
Across the Media
Marian Frances Wolbers
Albright College
Fai rch i ld Books
New York

Executive Editor: Olga T. Kontzias
Editorial Development Director: Jennifer Crane
Development Editor: Rob Phelps
Associate Art Director: Erin Fitzsimmons
Production Director: Ginger Hillman
Senior Production Editor: Elizabeth Marotta
Copyeditor: Tracy Grenier
Cover Design: Erin Fitzsimmons
Cover Art: © Art + Commerce
Text Design: Nicola Ferguson
Page Composition: Tom Helleberg
Copyright © 2009 Fairchild Books, A Division of Condé Nast Publications.
All rights reserved. No part of this book covered by the copyright hereon may
be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage
and retrieval systems—without written permission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2008926797
ISBN: 978-1-56367-615-4
GST R 133004424
Printed in the United States of America
TP18

To Hella Rose,
and
in memory of Marian Hodkin Marr

vii
K
Contents
Extended Table of Contents ix
Foreword xvii
Preface xix
Introduction xxiii
Acknowledgments xxv
Part I: Fashion Communications—
A Layered Look
Chapter 1: Fashion Information from the Inside Out 3
Chapter 2: Understanding Raw Materials 25
Chapter 3: Laboring for Fashion: Influences from the Industry 43
f

viii
C o n t e n t s
K
Part II: Fashion Communications—
The Business End
Chapter 4: Details, Details 71
Chapter 5: Becoming Fashion 103
Chapter 6: Out There for All to See 121
Part III: Fashion Communications—
Representation in the Media
Chapter 7: The Big C: Creativity 151
Chapter 8: Evolution of the Fashion Magazine 171
Chapter 9: Dynamic Wording—The Art of Describing Fashion 189
Chapter 10: Visuals That Speak 215
Chapter 11: “With This Page (Ad, Script, or Whatever!), I Thee Wed” 239
Afterword 263
Resources and Recommended Readings 267
References 273
Credits 281
Index 283

ix
K
Extended Table of Contents
Foreword xvii
Preface xix
Introduction xxiii
Acknowledgments xxv
Part I: Fashion Communications—
A Layered Look
Chapter 1: Fashion Information from the Inside Out 3
Chapter Objectives 3
Accessing Core Information 5
How to Become a Style Dissector 7
Practice: Adopting a Research Mind-set 11
Create a Garment Profile 11
Locate Your Wardrobe’s Origins 20
Start a Fabric and Embellishments Bank 20
f

x
E x t e n d e d Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s
K
“What’s It Made Of?” Challenge 21
Dissect Style 22
Key Terms 24
Chapter 2: Understanding Raw Materials 25
Entertainment as the Brother of Invention 27
Blending Function with Form 28
The Four-Theories Ad Challenge 30
New Twists on Old Materials 32
Practice: Digging Up the Facts of Fashion 33
Master Raw Materials and Inventions 34
Challenge the Experts 37
Deconstruct an Outfit 40
Create a Compare and Contrast Presentation 40
Write a Short Definition-Style Essay (150–400 words) 40
Key Terms 41
Chapter 3: Laboring for Fashion: Influences from the Industry 43
The Triangle Waist Company Fire 44
Lessons from the Triangle Disaster 45
Evolution of the U.S. Fashion Industry 46
Big Business 49
Communicating within the Industry 50
Wordsmithing in the Fashion Trade Publications 53
Creative Copy Definitely Counts 60
Practice: Scanning the Range of Resources 62
Subscribe to Trade Publications 64
Visit Unfamiliar Web Sites 64
Do Some Fieldwork 65
Look into Labor 65
Key Terms 67

xi
K
Part II: Fashion Communications—
The Business End
Chapter 4: Details, Details 71
Fashion Communications on the Job 81
The Outreacher 83
Road Warrior 86
“Follow That Script!” 91
ThePlanner 93
From Actor to Super 96
Practice: Communicating the Details 97
Create a Detail Quiz (Group Task) 97
Examine a Press K it / Create a Press K it 99
Conduct an Interview (Individual Assignment) 100
Key Terms 101
Chapter 5: Becoming Fashion 103
Follow the Leader 104
Trendsetting in the Information Age 105
Trendspotting 106
The Magazine Makes Fashion 114
Practice: Fashioning Fashion 117
Uncover the Influence of Historical People 117
Discover the Influence of Materials (Objects and Fabrics) 117
Find Out Underlying Motivations for Fashion Adoption 118
Examine Fashion in Print over the Decades 118
Conduct a Comparative Analysis of a Fashion Item with
a Focus on Fashion Communication 119
Key Terms 120

xii
K
Chapter 6: Out There for All to See 121
The Many Fields of Fashion 123
Marketing 123
Sales 123
Advertising 126
Public Relations 127
Promotions 133
Branding 134
Old Codes and New Codes 135
Presence 143
Relativity 143
Currency 143
Communication = Democratization 143
Practice: Exploring the Do’s and Don’ts of Getting Out There 144
Explore the “Oops” Effect 144
Keep a Group’s Activities Secret 144
Surf for Resources 145
Brand It 146
Key Terms 147
Part III: Fashion Communications—
Chapter 7: The Big C: Creativity 151
Fundamentals for Fashion 152
Creativity and Originality 154
What Are the Elements of Creativity? 155
Inner Vision 158
Curiosity 160
Inspiration 161

xiii
K
` Ability 162
Environment 164
Communicating Fashion in Fresh Ways 166
Brainstorming 166
Practice: Creating Original Fashion and Communicating Original Ideas 168
Brainstorm and Present Ideas 168
Key Terms 170
Chapter 8: Evolution of the Fashion Magazine 171
Agents of Change 173
Examples from June 2007 GQ 174
Examples from Fall 2007 Elle Accessories,
Your Fall/ Winter Shopping Guide 176
Examples from December 2007 Glamour 176
Examples from December 2005 Vogue 176
Choices, Choices, Choices 177
Giving People What They Need 178
Practice: Understanding Magazines as an Intersection of Art and Commerce 185
Pursuing the Philosophy of Fashion Magazines 185
Getting Real with a Magazine Content Count 186
Debate It! 187
Key Terms 187
Chapter 9: Dynamic Wording—The Art of Describing Fashion 189
Where Fashion Is the Focus 191
Shifting into Excellent Gear 202
What Good Writers Do 202
Spoken Fashion 203
Speaking Adjectives 204
Tailor Your Writing to the Task 206
Practice: Do Close Readings for Place and Purpose 207

xiv
K
Writing Sample 1 208
Key Terms 214
Chapter 10: Visuals That Speak 215
Enduring Design Principles 218
Visual Decisions 231
Finding Images 234
Sticking with What Works 234
Practice: Sharpening Visual Skills and Understanding 237
Tracing the River 237
Digital Pix—Blindfolded 237
Create a Hangtag and Bag 237
Make a Cover! 238
Design a Magazine or Catalog Page Spread 238
Key Terms 238
Chapter 11: “With This Page (Ad, Script, or Whatever!), I Thee Wed” 239
Word and Image Vows 240
Trends in Verbal-Visual Interplay 242
A Crash Course in Web Site Excellence 243
Web Site Pre-Construction Checklist 243
Examining Successful Sites 243
The Four C’s 254
Careers in Fashion Communications 254

xv
K
Practice: Becoming an Expert Matchmaker 255
Taking Aim at Consistency 255
Four C’s Web Site Analysis 260
Make a Crazy Collage 261
Do a Fashion Review 262
Compare and Contrast Web Sites 262
Key Terms 262
Afterword 263
Resources and Recommended Readings 267
References 273
Credits 281
Index 283

xvii
K
Foreword
Fashion is very important. It is life enhancing and,
like everything that gives pleasure, it is worth doing well.
Vivienne Westwood
Words are Marian Wolbers’s tools of the trade. My tools are the elements of design,
which, like words, can speak. The methods of communication differ but the de-
sired outcome is the same: to bring forth that spark of creativity found in everyone and
invite it to enlighten the individual and the global community of this new century of
technology.
Uncovering Fashion brings together the broad spectrum of fashion, from the raw ma-
terials to the finished silhouettes on the runway and in the retail store. The courses I have
taught over the years include: Fundamentals of Textiles, History of Costume, Draping, Flat
Pattern, Fashion Retail, Visual Merchandising, Basic Construction, Boutique Manage-
ment, and Art Wearables. I have taken my students to international fashion competitions
in South Africa and Belgium, and I represented the United States when Italy sponsored the
first international symposium on window dressing (visual merchandising) targeted toward
the training and employment of students. My daily contact with students for more than 25
years has led me to believe that a practical textbook focused specifically on fashion com-
munications has long been a missing element in the educational field.
f

xviii
F o r e w o r d
K
Uncovering Fashion guides the reader to develop a sixth sense of idea sharing that em-
bodies the various components of fashion—art, design, architecture, legalities, and more—
across the wide range of communications media. Marian Wolbers is able to weave all these
components from cross-pollinated thoughts and ideas and has pulled them into an articu-
lated whole. The author fuses thoughts and ideas, fragmented or whole as they may be, and
transforms them into a journey of creative thought that must be experienced rather than
imagined.
Wolbers illustrates the “how to” of fashion communications with clear, concise instruc-
tions and examples so students can gain full comprehension of the communication skills re-
quired in the fashion industry. Included in this book are historical examples that illuminate
the present and concrete verbal-visual directives that are easily put into practice. Uncover-
ing Fashion is the first text that includes the legal aspects related to plagiarism, intellectual
property, and copyright issues. The inclusion of this information preserves the integrity of
not only the author of any work but of the students as well, and it provides a safeguard for
all concerned. Issues of intellectual property have become an issue that must be addressed,
especially with the emergence of advanced technology and collaborative efforts.
Real-life situations are presented in profiles throughout the book. These profiles give
students the true picture of various aspects of communications in the fashion world. There
are interviews with individual designers, writers, museum curators, small business owners,
retailers, photographers, and bloggers. The reader can gain practical and usable insight
from these vignettes. Their inclusion provides information that would pique anybody’s in-
terest no matter what their profession.
Marian Wolbers has authored a book that is truly necessary for fashion programs any-
where or for anyone who seeks to develop communication skills. I feel privileged to have
written the foreword for this groundbreaking text.
Connie Heller-Horacek
Professor, Albright College
Reading, Pennsylvania

xix
K
Preface
As I gathered my thoughts for this text, my mind traveled back over the strangely me-
andering path that informed my own awareness of fashion, a sensibility that dates
back to early childhood.
At age five, I sat at my grandmother Marian Marr’s knee in a child’s chair at her New
Hampshire farmstead, learning my stitches. Grammy had been a seamstress all her life,
traveling from house to house in a horse-drawn carriage, hand sewing entire wardrobes
for families or elaborately crafted wedding gowns embellished with hundreds of pearls.
Like the Tirocchi sisters described in Chapter 3, my grandmother kept up with fashion
trends by making numerous trips to Boston and bringing the latest styles and fabrics back
to her fashion-hungry clientele. She was a wonderfully skilled dressmaker; her services
were booked for two years in advance by the time she was 18. She designed and made every
single costume my mother wore as a young dancer and her very tailored (1940s) college
wardrobe. My mother was also a talented seamstress, but her passion lived in dance perfor-
mance and dance education. This may explain why my grandmother devoted her attention
toward me and became determined to make me into a dressmaker like herself.
Alas, I was prone to heaving huge sighs of relief (privately, of course) after all the
threading, darning, and delicate stitching sessions. By the time I was six years old, I
would finish my sewing lessons and head straight to the front parlor to sit under the baby
f

xx
P r e fa c e
K
grand piano. There I read books, wrote in my diary, and penned letters to my friends back
home in New York. The seamstress aspect did not stick with me, but I have vivid memo-
ries of nearly every one of my grandmother’s gowns, dresses, and suits. They hung in an
enormous walk-in closet that completely defied the outward appearance of my grand-
parents’ farmhouse in Temple, with its Jersey cows, woodstove, homegrown squash, and
hand-cooked cherry jam. I can still see the glittering jewelry with which Grammy acces-
sorized her outfits, along with her stylish shoes, hats in hatboxes stacked five-high, lamb’s
wool and beaver fur coats, and colorful jackets made of serge, tweed, and about 14 other
fabrics.
It would take too long to tell the whole story, but here are some of the formative expe-
riences and hands-on training that led to this book: Around age 16, I attended Barbizon
School of Modeling in Philadelphia. In my 20s, I worked as a photographic and cosmetics
model in New York City, at Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale’s, and in Japan, primar-
ily Tokyo, but also in Hiroshima, Osaka, and Kobe. I wrote professionally for Time, Inc.,
Rodale, and other publishers. For these publishers, I wrote mostly for books and magazines,
but I also wrote for newsletters and corporate publications. I did public relations for a major
maternity wear retailer in North Carolina, creating Maternity World News, which covered
maternity fashions and health. I formed a funky art wearables T-shirt/sweatshirt company
called What Is Art? I wrote numerous fashion articles and blocks of clothing catalog copy
and a fun magazine column called “Cheap Chic,” and I served as the CEO of One Love for
the Tennisseur, an exclusive line of fashionable tennis wear. This tennis wear line was the
brainchild of my brother, George, a tennis pro and a man of remarkably astute design, com-
munications, and marketing talents.
There is so much more, including a long immersion in photography. There’s all the mag-
azine and book and Web site editorial experience that exposed me to working with dozens
of amazing individuals, including art directors, production editors, artists, photographers,
photo editors, writers, fact-checkers, graphic designers, publicists, advertising teams, and
copywriters.
As a college instructor, I am still working with dynamic people. Now it is my col-
leagues and students who are constantly teaching me what fashion communications is all
about.
It is my fondest hope that instructors will find this book useful as a springboard for their
own approaches to the topics covered within these chapters. The Practice sections can be
done either in class or outside of class, in a computer lab, library, or dorm room. The tasks

xxi
P r e fa c e
K
engage students both as individuals and as members of groups, giving them practical expe-
rience in teamwork, a skill required in fashion communications environments. I hope stu-
dents find this textbook helps them hone their critical thinking skills, boost their creativity,
and explore all the media forms that serve the strange and magical deity called fashion.
Marian Frances Wolbers
January 2009

xxiii
K
I ntroduction
What Is Fashion
Communications?
The dynamics of fashion depend on visuals: When we see something we like, we respond
to its color, line, form, and eye appeal. In that sense, fashion communicates by itself—
without words or added graphics. However, the world of fashion demands much more than
the mere presence of garments, accessories, and footwear. Fashion involves a wide range
of communications, including words—printed, spoken, and electronically transmitted.
Those words may serve alone or with images and designs that enhance and illustrate their
meaning. Of course, images and designs that explain, explore, enhance, or sell fashion may
depend on words to make a point or answer a question.
The term “fashion communications” refers not only to monthly fashion magazines like
Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar but also to every facet of information relating to fashion. Fash-
ion communications can be found on multiple levels, from the names of the colors at the
dye factory to the latest runway reviews posted on fashion Web sites.
The full range of fashion communications and the wide variety of venues for fashion ex-
pression will unfold in the chapters that follow and will focus on three key arenas: business
and trade, promotions and publicity, and representation in mainstream media. Included in
each chapter are profiles and interviews of individuals and companies, as well as suggested
assignments and exercises. The Practice sections are located at the end of each chapter and
are designed to help students develop the critical thinking and creative skills necessary for
mastering the unique language of fashion.
f

xxv
K
Acknowledgments
Iextend deep gratitude to the visionary Olga Kontzias of Fairchild Books, Fairchild Books’
Development Editor Rob Phelps, my “editorial right hand” Kerry Boderman, writers
Hella Rose Bloom and Claudia Strauss, fact-checker Bernadette Sukley, and teaching mentor
Connie Heller Horacek. I would also like to thank Fairchild’s Editorial Development
Director Jennifer Crane, Senior Production Editor Elizabeth Marotta, Associate Art Di-
rector Erin Fitzsimmons, and reviewers Don Brewer of Sierra College, Pandora Neiland
of IADT Seattle, and Barbara Dyer, of Florida State University.
A very special thanks goes to all the companies, institutions, and individuals who gra-
ciously gave interviews, artwork, permissions to reprint, expertise, commentary, and edito-
rial and moral support to make this project a reality. These parties include: Albright College
fashion students, Allen Abbott, Jacquie Atkins, Mary Baskett, Jon Bekken, Carmen Jewel
Bloom, Kenneth Bloom, Rosemary Brutico, Alberto Cacicedo, and Ed Christian. I would
also like to thank the Cincinnati Art Museum, James Cucinotta, John Dever, Susan Faeder,
Kim Gilde, Robin Givhan, Annie Leibovitz, Chris Lindland, Zomi Bloom Nigh, Michele
Obi, Madelyn Shaw, Jill Smith, and Bill Thomas.
f

f
part i
Fashion Communications—
A Layered Look
Un derstan di ng th e nuts an d bolts—th e practical elements—of
fashion is crucial to effective communication.
Chapter 1, Fashion Information from the Inside Out, explores the basic need
for clarity in information, starting from the ground floor of the companies involved in
fashion, with references to historical precedents. Thinking more deeply about the origins of
attire in the most practical sense helps fashion communicators grow accustomed to recog-
nizing the many layers involved in assembling fashion information.
Chapter 2, Understanding Raw Materials, also takes a historical focus. The chapter also
examines technology and its repercussions, the realities of construction elements underly-
ing fashion essentials, and the impact of science and invention. Understanding the materi-
als used in creating garments and accessories leads to fashion communications that are
richer in verbal description and illustrative power.
Chapter 3, Laboring for Fashion: Influences from the Industry, discusses fashion from
a perspective that includes the wide range of people who comprise the fashion workforce,
including workers, industry journalists, and others of varying levels of influence, who typi-
cally receive little attention and yet are vital to the smooth functioning of the system. Con-
sideration of the methods that persons in the industry have historically used and currently
use to communicate with each other gives fashion communicators important insights re-
garding avenues of information.
1
K

121
K
Chapter Six
Out There for All to See
“A single word can make the difference between success and failure.”
John Philip Jones
author of Fables, Fashions, and Facts about Advertising
Chapter Objectives
The information presented in this chapter is designed to help you understand:
• The basics of marketing, advertising, sales, PR (public relations), promotions, and
branding.
• The importance of communicating brand as a powerful force for corporate unity.
• Goal setting and its effects on fashion presentation in print and other media.
Ideally, after reading this chapter, you will:
• Know basic terms used in advertising and promotions.
• Be able to analyze advertisements, press releases, branding, and other facets relating
to public exposure.
• Conceive fashion publicity as a team effort requiring multiple skill sets that
contribute to a common goal.
f

122
F a s h i o n C o m m u n i c a t i o n s — T h e B u s i n e s s E n d
K
People who love fashion agree there is nothing quite as delicious as a gorgeously fat fall
or spring issue of their favorite fashion magazine. The cover that shouts “50+ Pages of
the Best Fall Clothes!” (GQ, September 2007) or proclaims lavishly “Our Biggest Issue Ever!
840 Pages of Fearless Fashion” (Vogue, September 2007) is like a long-lusted-for dessert. All
earlier editions of that same magazine are either forgotten or maybe even discarded. All
thoughts of school and work are tossed aside—momentarily, at least. Some people rip right
into reading the thick book. Others delay turning back the heavy cover, opting to wait until
they can sit down without distraction to savor each glossy page. The promise of new colors,
new fabrics, new shapes, and new creations is literally at one’s fingertips. At the back of the
hungry mind of every fashion lover exists the most enticing morsel of all: the potential to
adorn and drape one’s own body anew, to cast aside an old self, and to find fresh ways to
express an established personal style.
The allure of fashion depends upon a system of seasons and cycles that are exempli-
fied by fashion magazines. This allure feeds on freshness, newness, originality, and the
unique sort of creative competi-
tion that is played out in an array
of photographs, drawings, sym-
bols, and words (Figure 6.1). From
the moment a designer displays
new work, for example at seasonal
runway shows held at staggered
fashion weeks around the world,
the clock starts ticking. A highly
select audience of invited buyers,
critics, editors, celebrities, social-
ites, and image makers begin re-
acting to what they see. In years
past, there was a long wait to see
what was new in the world of fash-
ion. Word traveled slowly, and the
clock was quite slow. Words and
images appear instantly today.
Reaction is even faster than ever.
Writers post their criticism and
praise on online blogs (journals),
Figure 6.1 Style.com covers major fashion trends, the main catwalks,
designer news, post-runway parties, and other state-of-the-art news.

123
O u t T h e r e f o r All t o S e e
K
a word that originally comes from the expression “Web log,” so that the latest fashions are
available before print newspapers can report them.
Placing fashion in the eyes of the world involves many professionals whose job is to com-
municate fashion within their respective fields. It is important for fashion communicators
to be able to distinguish between those fields.
The Many Fields Of Fashion
Creative professionals are constantly coming up with innovative approaches to communi-
cate fashion, but most careers fall into one or a combination of the following disciplines:
marketing, sales, advertising, public relations, promotions, and branding.
Marketing
Marketing concerns itself with figuring out who will buy what thing in what city, zip code,
or nation, and targeting particular groups as buyers of particular goods. Marketing profes-
sionals use surveys, focus groups, demographic charts, and other instruments to try to
find out which groups of people are most likely to buy which item. They work closely with
everyone in fashion, but most important, they work with salespeople. Special words or sets
of words, terminology, pertaining to marketing are listed in Box 6.1. Be sure to familiarize
yourself with these terms.
Sales
Sales are exactly that: the receiving of monies in exchange for fashionable goods. Sales
professionals are interested in how, when, where, and what fashions will sell and are
selling. Before a sale, many factors must be in place. For example, in the front windows
and on the floor of a store, visual merchandising is a key consideration. Is clothing
placed or displayed in such a way as to catch the eye and entice buyers? Is the signage
(i.e., words, visuals, and presentation) going to enhance sales? Are shoppers treated in a
certain way as to maximize the potential for buying? As a shopper purchases an item, is
she or he encouraged by a retail salesperson to also consider a complementary fashion
item, to boost the total number of dollars gained in that shopping session? In online
sales, the goals are generally the same: to secure the most money possible each and every
time a shopper starts browsing. People who are involved in the sales end of fashion

124
K
Box 6.1
Terminolog y to Remember
The worlds of marketing, advertising, public relations, promotions, and publicity refer
constantly to a wealth of special terms. Before interviewing an expert, or before applying
for a job as a copywriter, be sure to master as many terms as you can, including:
focus group—a research methodology where a small number of consumers are led
through a series of questions by a professional facilitator in order to gather
information about public opinions and attitudes, buying habits, and market-
worthiness.
target audience—those persons (potential buyers) whom a company or service is
trying to woo or gain the attention of.
demographics—statistical information about a population, often divided accord-
ing to age, cultural identity or race, income, etc.
primary research—research that collects information that does not already exist,
through surveys and other instruments.
secondary research—the summation of information from existing research (e.g.,
books, articles, and data otherwise made public), often used as a starting point
for primary research in sales, marketing, or promotions.
tagline—carefully chosen words (usually short in length) used in consumer advertis-
ing to sum up the selling point of a brand, product, or service.
slogan—often used interchangeably with tagline, those words used in consumer ad-
vertising to sell something but sometimes perceived of as being longer in word
length (even a full sentence) than a tagline.
positioning—ensuring that a product, brand, or service finds a place and visibility in
the most desirable niche and/or display arena within the market.
product placement—attempts to gain visibility for the brand by putting a product in
easy reach or vision. Designer bags displayed on a TV sitcom is one example.
brand equity—the value attributed to a particular product’s character and market-
ing potential (as established by its name and sales attributes).
promotional theme—a coherent, agreed-upon focal point defining the activities
(other than advertising) that serve to encourage a customer to buy.
(continued on next page)

125
Kinclude cashiers, store managers, accountants, secretaries, data entry workers, banking
personnel, stock traders, Web site owners, and consultants. Their main interest is in the
exchange of goods for monetary gain. They are interested in, and often responsible for,
the bottom line, which includes how many items are sold, how many items are projected
to be sold, how much money is being made, whether or not the store has enough items
to sell, and the numbers of buyers in particular locations.
Sales personnel engage in a variety of communication methods. Speech is needed for
meeting customers, answering phones, ordering goods, and communicating effectively
in staff meetings. Writing is a crucial skill and ranges from filling out forms to writing
sales reports and providing clear data analysis for corporate annual reports. Additional
Box 6.1 (continued)
cross-promotion—pairing (or joining) of products to encourage buying of those
brands. A car company linked to a fashion show is one example of cross-
promotion.
loyalty programs—sales promotion efforts characterized by tangible rewards,
designed to encourage repeat customers and secure faithful purchases of the
brand.
copy platform—a statement that defines the creative strategy behind an advertising
or promotions plan.
B2B—business to business, both the seller and the buyer are business entities and
not private consumers.
point of purchase—a display for a product placed where the buyer can immediately
buy the product or service (also called point of sale).
sponsorship—the financial backing of a product or promotion by a company, indi-
vidual, or group.
layout—a physical representation of how a final page might look.
campaign—a program where promotion and advertising are coordinated.
copy—the text of a promotion or advertisement.
testimonial—the personal story of a customer who describes the value of a brand,
product, or service.
direct mail—printed materials that come to potential consumers via the mail.

126
K
information pertaining to sales forecasts and earnings, as well as the ups and downs of the
marketplace, invariably involves sales experts and journalists who are capable of covering
these aspects of the fashion industry. Hundreds of thousands of people rely on reading
articles in WWD, the Wall Street Journal, and business-to-business publications in order
to make sound judgments and business decisions, which affect millions of laborers and
consumers.
Advertising
Advertising has traditionally referred to the art and practice of putting a product in the
public’s eye. Before the advent of television in the 1950s, advertising was limited to cer-
tain spheres. An advertisement before the age of television might have been a small, boxed
grouping of words and images (i.e., it had tooling lines around its words or images) in the
classified section of a newspaper or magazine. It might have been a one-quarter page, one-
half page, or even a full-page advertisement. If a peddler was traveling from town to town,
bringing a trunk full of new fashions for the local people to try, advertisement for these
fashions might have occurred only by word of mouth: “Did you hear? I heard Mrs. So-and-
so say that some of the newest colors will be displayed!”
In remote parts of the world, fashion advertising might still be conveyed by word of
mouth. The trunk show, however, is a different story. It has not gone out of style, although
the advertising around it has definitely changed from word of mouth to direct mail, dis-
play ads in publications, and e-mail notifications (the kind that begin with “Dear Preferred
Buyer . . . ”).
Today, advertising finds expression in a variety of forms. The large, glossy photographs
of models wearing designer clothes in such consumer magazines as Elle, Esquire, Lucky,
and W are obviously some of the purest forms of advertising that exist. Inserts, those
often-colorful sheets promoting clothes, accessories, jewelry, and shoes that are tucked into
Sunday newspapers, are also examples of straightforward advertising. Television commer-
cials, shopping channels, direct mail (including credit-card bill inserts), and department
store signage are all vehicles for advertising fashion. They are just the tip of the iceberg.
With the international proliferation of the World Wide Web—a term coined in 1990—ad-
vertising has moved in creative new directions. Pop-ups, podcasts, targeted e-mail, online
music videos, and handheld communication devices are all potential and potent outlets for
fashion advertising.

127
K
Creative Gurus
When it comes to communicating ideas, images, and words associated with fashion,
advertising professionals play a vital role. Advertising professionals must become com-
fortable and proficient with a variety of communications avenues. They must possess a
natural curiosity in order to build a broad base of knowledge across seemingly unre-
lated subject areas, and they must be able to visualize artwork, color, models, and their
clients’ goals. Like marketing and sales experts, they must be budget conscious. A top-
notch advertising professional engages in daily communications that typically involve
speaking (articulating well in conversation as well as giving instructions to staff and
others), writing, drawing, photographing, accessing images, and doing computer-aided
design. Above all, advertising professionals have to be creative. Throughout history,
advertising professionals have been credited with developing some of the world’s best-
recognized, wealth-producing taglines (slogans). Brevity is the key, says self-dubbed
tagline guru Eric Swartz of San Mateo, California. Witness such powerful words as
“Just do it” (Nike) or “lifts and separates” (Playtex bras). “Anything less than seven
words is good,” Swartz said in a recent news piece. “These days, they tend to be two,
three, four.”
Choosing the best design layout is as important as words and images used in the ad-
vertisement (Figures 6.2 and 6.3). Three of the most basic ad layout formats are: column(s);
grid (also called Mondrian, or geometric); and field-of-tension (chaotic) in which the de-
signer uses expert alignment to tie together various elements.
Public Relations
Public relations (often called by its abbreviation, PR) is frequently confused with advertis-
ing. An easy way to remember is to memorize the two words: “public” and “relations.” It
almost seems too simple, but consider that, literally speaking, the public is anyone outside
one’s self. Home, family, and close friends represent a private, inner circle. How well one
gets along with family members is referred to as the quality of relationship. For example,
you might hear someone ask, “What kind of relationship do you have with your sister?” The
answer might be “Great! We can tell each other anything, and she’s always there for me.”
Or, it might be the opposite: “We always seem to fight. But we are working on making our
relationship better.”

128
K
Public refers to everyone outside one’s immediate close circle, or the people in society and
the world at large. In the business sense, relations refers to the quality of communication and
the connection or status (standing) that exists between a business entity and the larger public.
Public relations professionals concern themselves with how positively or negatively a com-
pany (fashion designer, particular fashion item, or brand) is perceived by the buying public.
Public relations expertise is
needed in order for a business
entity to succeed over the short
term as well as over the long
term. A single mistake in public
relations can pull a company’s
profits into a downward spiral
and cause permanent damage.
Public relations involves
communications as its pri-
mary focus, especially since it
deals with human beings and
how the public comes to think
about a particular company,
person, or thing. Recognizing
that images and words play key
roles in the scheme of human
perception, PR professionals
are often knowledgeable in the
areas of psychology, sociology,
political science, and language.
They typically exhibit mastery
of all the basic communication
arts such as public speaking,
writing, and personal image
projection. Most public rela-
tions professionals are experts
at networking.
Figure 6.2 Examples of various ad layouts.
Figure 6.3 Examples of a symmetrical (left) and an asymmetrical
(right) ad layout. (continued on page 132)

129
K
Box 6.2
Promotional Writing f or Trade Shows
Trade shows are a vital part of the fashion industry. To communicate their intent, and to
promote their big events, trade shows must display a variety of tightly written promotional
materials that sound compelling, comprehensive, and enticing. The two samples here are
by MAGIC International, a company that presents semi-annual events held in Las Vegas,
attended by more than 100,000 people in the fashion business. Notice the heavy use of
superlative adjectives, such as premier, largest, ultimate, unbeatable, key, and newest.
Sample 1: Media Fact Sheet (Fabric-related)
Sourcing at MAGIC is the premier trade event in North America for the production/
supply side of the apparel industry. Co-located in the MAGIC Marketplace, the largest
and most comprehensive fashion industry trade event in the world, Sourcing at MAGIC
provides exhibitors direct access to the largest concentration of buying power in the
United States. Here product development, merchandising and design teams have direct
access to the largest gathering of apparel manufacturers, fabric and component suppli-
ers in North America—900+ companies from over 35 countries—in ultimate efficiency to
shorten research, travel, and merchandising time and increase speed-to-market.
Sample 2: FAQs about MAGIC (Excerpted from a 2008 press release)
What is MAGIC?
The MAGIC Marketplace is the premier fashion trade show event in the international ap-
parel industry, hosting global buyers and sellers of men’s, women’s and children’s apparel,
merchandising apparel alongside footwear, accessories, and sourcing. As an incubator of
fashion, MAGIC is where new trends surface and develop into what will be seen on the
consumer. The show’s goal is to connect and inspire the fashion community, fuse diverse
trends, while offering unbeatable service to its customers. . . .
How many exhibitors feature their collections at MAGIC?
More than 4,000 companies, 5,000 brands, and 20,000 product lines are featured at the
MAGIC Marketplace each show.

130
K
Box 6.2 (continued)
What makes MAGIC different from the other fashion trade events?
The MAGIC Marketplace is the only show that brings together key industry segments un-
der one roof, vertically connecting the industry from sourcing to runway to retail. At each
show, buyers can find the newest trends and resources in men’s, women’s, and children’s
apparel, as well as in footwear, accessories, outerwear, swimwear and lingerie . . . Manu-
facturers, on the other hand, can also come to find original prints, fabrics, and other
sourcing resources. But what makes MAGIC Marketplace truly different is the fact that it
draws the largest retail audience in the world. . . .
Box 6.3
How to Write a Press Release That
Really Gets Noticed: Six Tips from the Top
By Rosemary Brutico, CEO, Quintessence Communication
Although public relations has evolved into a sophisticated, high-tech industry with the
emergence of electronic communications, the traditional press release is still considered
the bedrock of the public relations profession. That said, the quality of your press release
(often referred to as a news release) can be the bane or boon of your PR efforts. By adher-
ing to these six tips, you’ll not only ensure that your release will be picked up, read, and
distributed by the media but you’ll also ensure the success of your campaign to get your
company’s news out to the public and raise your organization’s visibility in the market-
place. Of course, these tips apply only after you’ve determined that your “news” is indeed
newsworthy.
Tip 1: Know Your Audience and Tailor Your Message to Them
Before you put pen to paper, take the time up front to define your audience. Ask yourself:
“Who is my primary audience?” “What do I want to tell them?” “What kind of action do
I want them to take?” (continued on next page)

131
K
Box 6.3 (continued)
Tip 2: Make Sure Your Headline Says It All and Says It Well
You have just a split second to capture the interest of the media whose job it is to sift
through an avalanche of press releases at breakneck speed to determine what’s news and
what’s not. The only thing that will save your release from being DOA (dead on arrival) is
the quality of your headline. The sign of a “killer” headline is one that distills the essence
of your news. But that’s not enough. Your headline needs to sound fresh, pithy, even clever
(hackneyed headlines will doom your release). Ask yourself: “Is my headline an attention-
grabber?” You’ll know if it is.
Tip 3: Structure Your Release Using the Inverted Pyramid
This may sound like Journalism 101, but the formula is tried and true. The first paragraph
should contain the broadest information—the main point—with subsequent paragraphs
containing information in descending order of importance. Essentially, the first two or
three paragraphs should answer the five W’s (who, what, where, when, and why) and
sometimes “how.”
Tip 4: Use Third-Party Endorsements Effectively
Nothing lends credibility to your product or service better than a testimonial from a satis-
fied customer or a company spokesperson (such as a celebrity or a CEO). The purpose of
an endorsement is to describe the benefits of a product or service in a way that spurs your
audience to action. Therein lies the challenge. A well-crafted quote should sound enthusi-
astic (without sounding over the top) and be believable (without getting bogged down in
minor details) at the same time.
Tip 5: Banish Jargon, Hyperbole, Typos, and Grammatical Errors
The quickest way to lose your audience’s interest, as well as your credibility, is to litter your
copy with superlatives, gobbledygook, and glaring errors, which in effect shows sloppy
thinking, careless writing, and disrespect for your audience.

132
K
Depending on the job order, public relations professionals may need to be quite creative.
When a creative opportunity presents itself, they almost always work in conjunction with
other people, so teamwork is especially valued. In one assignment, a public relations team
might have to come up with creative approaches to meet ongoing PR needs. For example, their
job might be to put together and keep current a media kit or press kit. A media kit is a packet
of materials (either printed matter or online materials) that is made available to members of
the media or other businesses. A media kit may contain information about the company, the
designer, new designs, new lines of clothing, and a press release about the item, or items, being
introduced. A public relations team might be asked to stage promotional events, such as a
holiday party, a get-together during fashion week, or photo opportunities during trade shows
(see Box 6.2). Writing press releases to publicize such events is one of many ways to introduce
a fashion item or trend to the public (see Box 6.3 for expert tips on press release writing).
Public relations people are also called upon to solve existing, newly identified, and po-
tential problems. Publicity is within their purview, so they concern themselves with the
quality of their clients’ public image. For example, negative publicity may assail a designer
whose clothing is discovered in production in a factory (or country) with questionable labor
Box 6.3 (continued)
Tip 6: Keep It Short—500 Words Max
Time is what the media has too little of, so don’t waste it. Think of your press release as a
haiku where less is more.
About This Author
Rosemary Brutico founded the public relations firm
Quintessence Communication (www.quintcomm.com) in
2000 to provide strategic and tactical public relations
counsel to growing organizations in the public and pri-
vatesectors.Shehasheldexecutivepositionsinthepub-
lishing and corporate communications professions,
and is a member of the Greater Boston Chamber of
Commerce,PublicRelationsSocietyofAmerica(PRSA),
andWomeninTechnologyInternational(WITI).
Rosemary Brutico of Quintessence
Communication in Boston.
(continued from page 128)

133
K
practices. Public opinion regarding a particular fashion could also start diving quickly
when celebrities are used to advertise or promote a line or product—such as when a sports
celebrity breaks the law prior to launching a line of athletic shoes or when a famous model
behaves badly enough to warrant disapproval. Because of the “P” in PR, whatever is done
in view of a camera or within earshot or view of the
public eye, relations can be affected for good or bad.
Good PR responds to the spirit of the times, also
called zeitgeist. Ideally, it anticipates expressions of
zeitgeist. As with dynamic advertising, the best public
relations strategy sets the course for others to follow.
One important trend in the fashion industry is the
association of fashion with causes. As the world grows
smaller, by virtue of global communications expand-
ing, social and political problems too upsetting for
people of conscience to ignore have grabbed the spot-
light. Thus, fashion is increasingly used to symbolize
social consciousness, whether it is to use a pink ribbon
motif to symbolize breast cancer awareness (Figure
6.4), or to use green as a color or word (green initia-
tives) to show ecological concerns. This trend may
continue for years to come, but it is likely to take many
forms. (See also Figure 6.5.)
Promotions
Promotions refers to every tactic that pushes a prod-
uct, designer, or fashion line into the public eye,
resulting in increased visibility and sales. In the nar-
rower sense, promotions in business is a term that
encompasses special sales events, specialized adver-
tising approaches, and a whole range of practices that
involve placing “something to be sold” into a position
of public recognition.
For example, having a fashion show at a shopping
mall is a promotional activity. Sending press passes to
Figure6.4 Socialandpoliticalconsciousness
isreflectedinfashionjewelrysuchasthispinin
apinkribbonshapeforbreastcancerawareness.
Figure 6.5 Heart disease awareness fused
with fashion in a series of word-play ads char-
acterized by the word “RED.”

134
K
fashion journalists may result in a mention of the fashion show or a particular designer or
trend in their publications. Hiring floor models to wander around the cosmetics or per-
fume section of Bloomingdale’s and handing out makeup samples or small vials and cards
with a new scent is a form of promotion. Requiring a model to actually wear the makeup or
skin product she (or he) is selling is taking the promotion a step further: The model is then
coached to exhibit (and describe) how the product acts and feels.
Promotion, as a communications concept, is neither easily contained nor clearly dis-
tinguishable from advertising and public relations. It is often interwoven with the fabric
of a company’s established effort to gain attention. That attention can happen through a
happy accident, as when a well-known, well-respected person makes public claims about
his or her fashion preferences, or when a journalist becomes particularly impressed by the
quality or effect of a certain fashionable item. More often than not, however, promotions
are crafted and planned. Television comedian Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show (2007) carried
a small byline banner crediting Polo Ralph Lauren’s “Black Label” in Stewart’s wardrobe.
In the same year The Weather Channel showed catalog giant L.L. Bean’s logo on all of its
hurricane-battered weather reporters.
Branding
Branding is of major concern to all the players in the fashion game, including clients, mar-
keters, advertisers, graphic designers, publicists, promotions experts, and magazine editors.
It is the buzzword of the century, and it has enormous relevance for the fashion industry
and for fashion communicators. Alina Wheeler defined branding in her book, Designing
Brand Identity, one of the most thorough discussions of branding ever published:
Brand is the promise, the big idea, and expectations that reside in each customer’s mind
about a product, service, or company. Branding is about making an emotional connection.
People fall in love with brands—they trust them, develop strong loyalties, buy them, and be-
lieve in their superiority. The brand is shorthand: it stands for something and demonstrates
it. . . . A strong brand stands out in a densely crowded marketplace. Translating the brand
into action has become an employee mantra. There is substantial evidence that companies
whose employees understand and embrace the brand are more successful. What began as
corporate culture under the auspices of human resources is fast becoming branding, and the
marketing department runs the show. (Wheeler, 2003)

135
K
(continued on page 141)
Branding involves naming, taglines, values, signage, uniforms, typeface, product es-
sence, and moods. It is reflected in a word or words, in a name or names, and in
storylines. From Banana Republic to Balenciaga to Victoria’s Secret to Cosmopolitan
magazine, branding is intimately tied to fashion success. By its very nature, branding
involves masterful communications approaches and constant vigilance to ensure the
strength and integrity of the brand. Branding is not something that is determined over-
night. It is carefully developed . . . and legally researched (See the Legal Brief in Box 6.4).
Wheeler quotes Andrew Welch of Landor Associates as saying, “Branding is a journey,
not a destination.”
Old Codes and New Codes
In marketing, sales, advertising, public relations, and promotions, it is important to ob-
serve the basic principles and goals that define good business practices. Seeking to target
one’s market appropriately, making a profit, having effective advertising, managing public
opinion, and exciting the public by creatively exhibiting in the marketplace are all common
business practices designed to ensure a brand’s success. Communicating messages across
the media environment is an integral component. This information promulgation appears
in business-to-business publications, smartphones, trade magazines, television, billboards,
radio broadcasts, after-runway parties, and professional associations.
The relatively new phenomena of reality TV shows (Project Runway, America’s Next Top
Model, etc.) and shopping channels such as QVC have opened up some broad new avenues
for fashion marketing. This chapter’s profile of Project Runway contestant Marla Duran
(Profile 6.1) explores how reality TV has affected a real designer.
One aspect of marketing that is often overlooked pertains to workers within the system,
and their codes of behavior as they serve to support a marketing campaign of any descrip-
tion. When it comes to putting one’s product “out there for all to see,” fashion frequently
has a timeline that must be honored, and that timeline may well demand confidentiality.
In such a dynamically creative industry, where it counts to be fresh, new, exciting, and dif-
ferent from the rest of the pack, not sharing the details of an ad campaign or a promotional
tool until the timing is right is not just only highly valued; it is sometimes a written require-
ment. A legally binding confidentiality agreement may already be in place in a company,
or one may need to be written in order to prevent damaging leaks to other companies,
individuals, or the press.

136
K
Box 6.4
Leg al Brief: How to Own a Name
In a Business Week article titled “Brands: Namestorming,” Jeremy Quittner describes the
fun and creative challenge of coming up with a brand name. Helpful brainstorming tips
and corporate anecdotes are a strong part of this article. Quittner also discusses some-
thing else that is vital to branding, how to avoid stepping on someone else’s toes. Federal
law provides protection for fashion brand names and logos that are properly registered,
which is why naming a line of clothing or accessories can be complex and costly. How-
ever, the rewards are usually well worth the time, money, and legal consultation. Quittner
writes:
The game isn’t over when you find a name you like. You have to make sure you have the
right to call it your own. To avoid potentially costly missteps, hire an intellectual prop-
erty lawyer. Expect to pay your attorney up to $10,000 for all the searches and filings.
That might seem like a lot, but according to Ilene Tannen, partner at New York law firm
Jones Day, the costs of disputing a lawsuit for trademark infringement, along with lost
goodwill, advertising, and packaging costs if you have to change your name, can run to
tens of thousands of dollars.
After narrowing the field to half a dozen names, see whether any have been trade-
marked. Start with the [U.S.] Patent Trademark Office [PTO] database, which lists
all names filed with the federal government for the purpose of doing business. The
owner of a name registered with the PTO trumps anyone who comes afterward, as a
federal trademark holds throughout the country. You can search this database your-
self at no cost, but an intellectual property lawyer can do a better job. . . .
Next, you’ll need to consult state registries. . . . No free, central repository exists
for the state registries, so for this leg of the journey, you should hire an intellectual
trademark attorney. Most charge in the range of $400 an hour. Trademark specialists
will also search databases such as CT Corsearch and CCH for so-called common-law
names. Although these names, which specialists cull from trade magazines, local pub-
lications, and other sources, have not been registered, trademark law gives precedence
to the first user. . . . And be aware that if a business owner can prove he has been using
a state-registered or common-law name nationally before you filed for a federal trade-
mark, you could lose your right to the name. (Quittner, 2007)

137
K
• Prof ile 6.1 •
Life Before and After Project Runway:
Inside the Studio with Marla Duran
K
The role of the media and technology in fashion communications is undeniable. Bravo Net-
work’s Project Runway is a prime example of how television programming reflects a public
interest in the world of clothing and propels that interest forward at lightning speed. Project
Runway is a reality TV series set in New York City at Parson’s the New School for Design. It
features a group of designers competing to create the best pieces of apparel with limited
materials in a small amount of time. Describing the onset of the show’s burgeoning popu-
larity, Virginia Postrel wrote in Forbes magazine in March 2006 that Project Runway (then in
its second season) “attracts more Wednesday night viewers in the U.S. than any other cable
show,” with viewers of the eighth episode of that season reaching 2.3 million.
It is increasingly important for people in the fashion industry to have a finger on the
pulse of modern media interests and on the new ways of staying connected. Those who
foresee their careers intersecting with the fashion business, whether working directly with
textiles or in an administrative position, can greatly benefit from the infinite public relations
possibilities available in television and media journalism. That means actually watching TV,
contacting the right people, keeping up with e-mail, learning to write and speak coherently,
and investing in a smartphone. Ac-
cess to instant communication is
vital whether you are a designer or
a vendor. There is always a product
at hand and the ultimate goal is to
sell that product. For those on the
creative end, selling product means
public appreciation of one’s work
or display and the resources need-
ed to keep creating. For sellers, it
means company profit and profes-
sional (and sometimes public) rec-
ognition of one’s success.
Fashion designer Marla Duran. (continued on next page)

138
K
The following is an interview with atelier Marla Duran, a contestant on the second
season of Project Runway. She describes how all the publicity from the show affected her,
personally and professionally. Her remarks suggest she is still finding her own voice in
the fashion industry. She acknowledges the media assumed a role in helping her define
and deliver her message. More important, her experience with television and media com-
munications has prompted an awareness that her life and business are plugged in now
more than ever.
What is strong about your design approach?
I think I have a sense sometimes about what’s coming, and I don’t necessarily act on what I pick up
on. I think sometimes, God, if I was maybe in—I don’t know what the right environment would look
like—and have access to maybe more resources? I just think that I have a knack for sensing things that
are coming before they come.
How has your experience on Project Runway had an effect on what you’ve become or what
you’re doing now?
I certainly have a lot more recognition, and there have been people who come in specifically to see me
because I was on the show. I’d say people are more impressed with me. Sometimes I kind of go, “Wow! I
was one of the people picked for that show. That’s pretty cool.” But if I’m trying to get my foot in the door
somewhere, it makes people sit up and pay attention.
How do people contact you? Do they call you up and say, “I’d like to visit you and be your
customer?”
Yes! These people called me a few days ago and said, “What are your hours on Thursday? We want
to come and see you.” And yesterday this couple from Toronto—their son is at the local Velodrome,
biking—just wandered in, and I don’t think the woman expected to find what she found. She was exactly
my kind of target customer, and so we had fun. She was perfectly nice, trying on things. . . . She’s the kind
of person who needs some help in putting it all together, and her husband likes clothes, too, and so we
had fun. That’s how I like it to be.
It is inspiring that you have fun at work!
One of the things I’m good at is working with my customers. I’m enthusiastic about what I do. And I
think my clothes need to be tried on to really be appreciated, and when I get somebody who’s willing to do
that, it’s just fun. It’s fun for me, and it’s fun for them.
So you enjoy the personal touch?
Yes. I do. And I don’t ever assume that someone’s going to like my clothes. I am always flattered and
grateful when people find my stuff. It’s like, wow, thank you. I do these craft shows in cities like New York,

139
K
LA, Chicago, San Francisco. . . . People become your customers, repeat customers, and they collect your
clothes, and that’s a lot of fun. The personal touch is a big part of what I do.
Appearing on Project Runway has certainly increased your recognition in the outside world.
Has it changed the way you think about and recognize yourself?
One of the things Tim Gunn [the show moderator] told me was that I should have more confidence
in my own ideas. So, I’ve probably heard myself say this too many times, but I’d like to see myself spend
more time hands-on, being creative, and trusting my own ideas more often. The full experience of being
there was what was most amazing. Being in the workroom with other creative people, and then having
Tim come around and critique my work, I really, really liked that.
“I’d like to see myself spend more
time hands-on, being creative, and
trusting my own ideas more often.”
You liked having the critique part?
I liked having the feedback.
Talk about your work—aside from Project Runway.
Oh, I’m happy to talk about it. I mean, that’s [Project Runway] all anyone wants to talk about.
Well, television is only one aspect of communications. You also have a Web site,
www.marladuran.com. You were meeting with your Web site guy earlier, you talked about
making it more inviting, more active, more friendly.
Yes, I was looking forward to my meeting with him. The Web site was getting dated.
You were describing the changes you wanted to make, one of them being making it more
interactive.
Yes. You know what, I feel like I get kind of overwhelmed with all the stuff I have to do, and so some-
times I just push things aside. And I realized that this is one of those things that I just can’t push aside
anymore.

140
K
You’ve got your studio and store space,
so you’re open to clients coming in off
the street. But you’re also creating art,
new fashions, at the same time. You’re
doing an awful lot at once.
I know. Part of me feels like I should
remove myself, sometimes, like when I hear
myself saying, “I can’t create.” So, I took this
one month away from my business where
I was doing all sorts of gardening stuff.
[Laughs] And I’m not a gardener! I was just
sort of whacking away at stuff . . . and then I
just said to myself, “You can do anything you
want right now.” I’d been pushing myself so
much, I just had to leave some room for my-
self to just have no agenda. Just to get back to
finding my voice.
Do you write?
Occasionally. [On a stool nearby is a neat
pile of loose-leaf pages, looking lusciously full
of fabric swatches and drawings and intrigu-
ing handwriting.] That, over there, is what I need to
remind myself to do. I’m thinking of just getting outta
town. Say, Max [speaking to one of her dogs], we
need to go on a road trip.
You must feel that you are constantly con-
nected. A couple of times when I e-mailed
you to get in contact, you used a BlackBerry
right away. Tell me about the BlackBerry as
a means of communication. Do you depend
on it?
Well, I rely on my phone a lot. I forward all my
calls from work to my cell because I’m not here a lot,
Duran at work in her atelier studio.
A signature creation of designer Marla Duran.

141
K
and this way people can reach me. I like it because it keeps me in touch. It’s probably paid for itself in just
being able to be on top of e-mails I receive. And I don’t tend to go online with my laptop all the time, so
this keeps me connected.
Customers like to contact me, so I definitely find it worthwhile. I may have made some sales quicker
and more solid because I was able to respond.
Did you ever miss an opportunity because you didn’t respond quickly to your e-mail?
Yes. I got an e-mail from a woman who works for NBC, who’s a Project Runway liaison, and she
sent me and everyone else an e-mail asking, “Tell us what you’re doing. We want an update,” and I never
got back in time. That’s just pure stupidity on my part. I did get back to her, but I think it was late. . . . It
was for New York magazine. . . . That’s like free PR.
You have to get back to the press right away, right?
Yup. There’s no excuse for that. I should know better. The truth is, though, Project Runway
is not the be-all and end-all of my career. It’s really about the clothes I make. Having been on that
show changes the perception . . . that’s it! People’s perceptions of me change, whereas I’m doing stuff
that I always did! It’s about the clothes I make, and the hard work I put in, and the relationships
I build.
(continued from page 135)
In recent decades, fashion communicators working in marketing, advertising, PR, and
other career areas that formerly operated separately from one another have found them-
selves working together because all aspects of product visibility are tied to a common
branding goal. (See Box 6.5 for some of the shared terminology.) Every aspect of the
fashion product, every word, image, font size, label, and Web design element, is scruti-
nized and weighed against a brand concept in order to attain as seamless a picture of the
product as is possible. Marketing people find themselves communicating with photog-
raphers. Designers hire public relations consultants to prepare them to appear on talk
shows. Graphics editing software and digital image programs have created crossovers
in talent abilities, so that it is no longer rare for an art director or photo editor to write
captions for a fashion spread. The roles and goals of these professionals shift and redefine
themselves in response to:

142
K
Box 6.5
From Gutters to White Space
There is a language peculiar to media that all involved must master sooner or later.
Here are just a few of the colorful terms that are used in design studios and layout
meetings:
• Bleed: when a designated color or type runs (bleeds) to the edge of a given page.
Important as a design element for overall effect. Sometimes a bleed can present
technical problems in printing and alter costs.
• Gutter: the inside edge of a magazine or catalog page. If a designer forgets to ac-
count for a wider margin in the space where the magazine gets bound, the entire ad
or article could be “lost” in the gutter.
• PMS: refers to PMS colors (trademarked by Pantone Matching System) that are an
industry standard when printing. The exact color chosen for branding and advertis-
ing can be perfectly matched every time, by any printing company, using the PMS
number.
• White space: the negative space in an ad or layout of any type. Allowing for
white space usually results in a layout that is less cluttered and more visually
appealing.
• improved facility with computer graphics
• easy access to equipment that was once too technical or too expensive for anyone
besides experts to own
• increasing sophistication with words and images, in many dimensions
• ongoing exposure, practice, and training in communications methods
• expanding ability to interact quickly with people all over the world
In the face of all this rapid change, terminology is changing as well. When it comes
down to getting “out there,” fashion communicators direct their discussions toward such
concepts as presence, relativity, and currency.

143
K
Presence
Presence—A combination of being, being seen, and being appreciated.
• “Does this [item/label/brand/trend/wording/image] carry presence?”
• “Which qualities define, enhance, and express (its) presence?”
Relativity
Relativity—How a fashion item or trend makes sense or has context, and how it connects
or does not connect with people, elements of society, place, and purpose. Relativity answers
such questions as:
• “Why?”
• “Why not?”
• “Who should or will care?”
Currency
Currency—The timeliness of all aspects of a fashion item, look, personality, or image, as
well as its present value and its projected value, and its ability to draw concrete dollars for
what it represents. Some questions for analysis include:
• “Will this [person/garment/silhouette/material/paragraph, etc.] have
currency with the public?”
• “Should it?”
• “How much currency does it have?”
Communication = Democratization
There is good reason for inventing new language to manage new phenomena in the fashion
industry. In past centuries, fashion applied strictly to those of privileged rank and class. The
democratization of fashion has changed all that. And as technology continues to be a liber-
ating force in society, fashion communications will become increasingly liberated as well.

144
K
Practice: Exploring the Do’s and
Don’ts of Getting Out There
The following assignments allow you to explore the different aspects of marketing fashion.
Explore the “Oops” Effect
There is an old saying that goes “All publicity is good publicity.” Is this true or false? Does
bad publicity count positively simply because it puts a brand name on people’s tongues?
What constitutes good publicity?
Find examples of where this saying has been true or false in the fashion world. Ex-
amine various aspects of fashion, including makeup, apparel, accessories, and hairstyles.
Look especially at designers, celebrities, athletes, or politicians. Some examples you
might consider include: Donna Karan and media attention to sweatshop labor, Nicole
Kidman and her work on behalf of the United Nations, football player Michael Vick and
his canceled Nike contract, and Senator John Edwards’s $400 haircut. Presentation tips:
• Discuss the pros and cons, as a group or class; or
• Write an essay or create a PowerPoint presentation, after researching more about
the meaning and manifestations of this saying; or
• Interview a public relations professional regarding his or her personal experience
and thoughts regarding this adage. Ideas for presenting results: Write the transcript
and present it in an article or essay, or present it in a live interview on a college
radio station.
Keep a Group’s Activities Secret
New fashion is all about surprises and being fresh. Therefore, keeping confidences is a valu-
able tool in the business, at all levels, from brainstorming ideas to creative design phases to
media exposure and “look launches.” Editorial, promotions, advertising, and other creative
work in a professional corporate environment constantly requires that teams of individu-
als hold fashion secrets close to their chest until it’s time to let the new style or layout or
product debut.

145
K
Here is a two-week, fun assignment that requires minimal energy but maximum coordi-
nation, to practice and test out confidentiality skills within a group of people:
First, assemble in small teams of at least four to six people. A random group within a
class is best. For this exercise, it is important to avoid cliques.
Second, meet privately with the group to brainstorm a plan to dress in a certain way two
weeks from this starting date. The goal of the activity is to have all members of the group
dress uniformly with a fashion theme in mind. This theme must remain a complete secret
until the chosen date so that other groups will not have a clue about the plan.
Be as creative yet reasonable as possible. In other words, group members should not have
to spend money unless it is a very small amount—such as $5 for a “tiara” or $3 for matching
“belts” made of rawhide from a hardware store. Themes should involve some thought pro-
cess that the group can present to the rest of the class. For example, if the group discovers
that all of its members have a habit of changing into heather-gray sweatpants after classes,
then a common theme of “casual studywear” emerges, and the group may wish to assign
everyone to wear heather-gray sweatpants to class. If a group discovers a favorite movie in
common, that movie may provide inspiration for the group uniform. Naming the group’s
look is a good creative challenge.
As a group, devise a system to uncover potential leaks. In other words, discuss how the
group can maintain secrecy and prevent the group’s secret fashion plan from becoming
known to rival groups.
At the end of the two weeks, on the day when all groups present their theme looks,
be sure to discuss whether spying or leaks occurred. Have an informal vote on which
group kept the best secret, and which group had the most interesting/crazy/adoptable
fashion.
Surf for Resources
There are numerous professional associations for people who are interested in or are already
active in the career paths discussed in this chapter. For example, in public relations, the
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is one of the most active societies, and it has
a student association that offers many benefits. (See www.prsa.org for full details.) Using a
librarian’s help, or just surfing with the “dot-org” mindset, locate a variety of professional
groups, and write a list of them with a response to each. Explain why or why not a Web site

146
K
looks or sounds inviting and helpful. Using a checklist approach, include whether or not
each organization has:
• a publication
• a membership form online
• a “Jobs” section
• an events calendar
• conference information
• press releases
For communications careers in general, many options for professional associations
exist, including the National Communication Association (www.natcom.org), and specialty
groups like Women in Communications International (www.wici.org).
Brand It
Attempting a branding project is an ambitious undertaking. It may be small and shal-
low—such as coming up with a Web site name. Or it may be the beginning of a long-range
project that is personally compelling (e.g., designing a store name, a clothing or accessory
line, etc.). A branding project may be short or ongoing through the semester, depending
on the focus of the fashion communications class. Think about the kind of branding proj-
ect that would be most challenging to you. Would it be a new fashion magazine? A radio
show on fashion? A television program? A new line of perfume? A line of business suits?
Formal wear for a red carpet event?

147
K
Key Terms
advertising
allure of fashion
B2B
blogs
brand equity
branding
campaign
complementary fashion item
confidentiality
copy platform
cross-promotion
currency
demographics charts
direct mail
fashion weeks
focus groups
layout
loyalty programs
marketing
media kit
point of purchase
positioning
presence
primary research
product placement
promotional events
promotional theme
promote
promotions in business
publicity
public relations (PR)
relativity
retail salesperson
sales
secondary research
slogan
sponsorship
surveys
tagline
target audience
teamwork
terminology
testimonial
trunk show
visual merchandising
zeitgeist

f
part iii
Fashion Communications—
Th e v i s ua l-v e r ba l e l e m e n t s co m p r i s i n g fa s h i o n s e e t h e i r m o st
consistent expression in media outlets, a term that requires regular redefinition,
given the explosion of burgeoning options for communications.
Chapter 7, The Big C: Creativity, sets the stage for all communications with its focus on
creativity. It explores the power of originality, using real-life examples and offering tips to
students for attaining authentic creative expression, whether as graphic designers, style in-
novators, copywriters, artists, or problem solvers. While fashion speaks for itself, there is
always a practical need for human expression using images and words to communicate that
physical manifestation.
Chapter 8, Evolution of the Fashion Magazine, examines the beginnings of mass fashion
consciousness, following the historical evolution of both women’s and men’s magazines,
with illustrations that serve to contrast and compare the print media of yesteryear with
more current representations.
Chapter 9, Dynamic WordingóThe Art of Describing Fashion, asks: How can words
best serve the fashion world? It isolates the art and practice of wordsmithing, exploring
the realm of possibilities with relation to description through examples (e.g., adjective-
oriented, verb-oriented, storyline, emotion-charged, etc.) to discuss a fashion. The range of
writing for fashion embraces the spoken word (e.g., radio, runway, TV); typed and fonted
words (e.g., magazines, newspapers, advertising, logos, Web sites); scripted indications (e.g.,
149
K

150
K
film, theater); dreams-to-paper (e.g., designers’ thoughts at the inception of new fashion);
translations of inspirations (e.g., nature, fabric/pattern/line/form, makeup and other fash-
ion expression); and observations (e.g., translating “seen on the street” to words that cap-
ture the concept).
Chapter 10, Visuals That Speak, delivers a wide overview of the basics of graphic design
in print media, along with core concepts of image literacy. It examines how fashion is vi-
sually represented across the media, with a focus on placement, position, mood, lighting,
silhouette, and other key factors. The art director, photo editor, photographer, stylist, and
other visual agents all engage in creating visuals that speak.
Chapter 11, With This Page (Ad, Script, or Whatever!), I Thee Wed!, introduces trends
regarding the successful marriage of words and images. This marrying-up is a balancing
act of the highest order, which, as public sophistication grows, increasingly leans toward
simplicity, with a dependence on the public’s perception of cultural codes to derive mean-
ing. Advances in communication technology become more and more accessible across the
spectrum of society, suggesting a fuller democratization of fashion in years to come.

189
K
Chapter N i n e
Dynamic Wording—
The Art of Describing Fashion
“It’s a visual art and an emotional sensing. It has to do with feeling
good in a second skin, and how others perceive you.”
Geoffrey Beene
fashion designer (defining fashion in the Washington Post, 1987)
Chapter Objectives
The information presented here is designed to help you understand:
• The range of descriptive options in writing fashion copy.
• Visual impressions can be created by “fashion-speak” (industry-related jargon) (e.g.,
spoken words, scripting).
• The importance of lead-in text.
Ideally, after reading this chapter, you will:
• Improve your abilities to tailor writing to the goal or task at hand, as well as to the
type of media.
• Write with a deeper awareness of text as a tool in fashion communications.
f

190
F a s h i o n C o m m u n i c a t i o n s — R e p r e s e n t a t i o n i n t h e M e d i a
K
If fashion were a queen bee, then words would be her worker bees, devotedly hard at work.
Hundreds of words, thousands of words. Too many to count. More work to be done and
no end in sight.
In the largely visual and tactile world of fashion, words exist in a symbiotic relation-
ship that runs the gamut from praise to damnation, persuasion to ridicule, and seduc-
tion to sarcasm. Words are spoken, whispered, sung, written, catalogued, recorded,
repeated, e-mailed, blogged, and printed. They appear on paper as well as on garments,
shoes, scarves, neckties, and handbags. In retail, words are employed to describe and
define, entice and encourage. In catalogs, words define the specifics, describing the
items pictured with flair and detail. In advertising, words usually stay short but say
much. On the red carpet of the Academy Awards, chatty journalists (some of them
celebrities themselves, such as Joan Rivers) gush, critique, and query actors about their
designer gowns and tuxedos, in on-the-spot conversations that are seen and heard
in real time by television viewers who are hungry to know more about what they are
seeing.
People who write and talk about fashion tend to do so with a specific work order in
hand, and that is a crucial element in how words are put together and presented to others.
Venue—where the words will end up—is everything. Venue—whether media outlet, busi-
ness, photo shoot, or private salon—dictates the writing and speech; conversely, readers
and listeners come to expect specific styles of verbal expressions based on situational factors
that are directly influenced by these venues.
Where do words end up? How can words best serve the fashion world? What happens
when words have less power than they were intended to have? Can fashion communica-
tors—whose job it is to craft speech, write ad copy, and create magazine and news articles
about various aspects of fashion—approach their workload in such a way that it becomes
lighter, easier, and livelier with practice?
Because fashion communications as a field encompasses a particularly broad range of
expression, the end of this chapter features exercises that involve different styles of fashion
writing. The section is designed to stimulate analysis and discussion regarding the impor-
tance of wordsmithing. Wordsmithing is much more than just writing. It means using
words as tools, hammering at them and heating them up and basically doing whatever is
necessary to make sure the final written piece accomplishes its intended purpose. (And
after all that hard work, it only makes sense that the author retains legal ownership of the
piece, as discussed in Box 9.1.)

191
D y n a m i c W o r d i n g — T h e A r t o f D e s c r i b i n g F a s h i o n
K
Where Fashion Is the Focus
Finding just the right words is no easy task. Any fashion journalist, apparel trade editor,
fashion magazine editor, or copywriter can attest to that. Just as mystery author Steven King
spends hours on end choosing just the right combinations of words to build spine-chilling
suspense—a suspense that keeps his readers eagerly flipping pages—fashion communica-
tors are constantly honing their word skills on a daily basis. They live and breathe words as
Box 9.1
Leg al Brief: Who Owns That?
Intellectual Property and the L aw
Who owns what? Some cases of ownership are obvious to the average person. A house is
the property of the person who bought it. A jacket bought at Nordstrom belongs to the
person who purchased it. If a stranger tries to move into a house that is not his, the owner
can have the trespasser arrested and prosecuted. If a friend borrows that Nordstrom jacket
and then refuses to give it back, the owner of the jacket can take him to court for stealing.
But what about writing, layouts, and other original creations? When someone expends
time, energy, and originality to write an article, the laws of intellectual property generally
state that this material belongs to the creator. Even without a formal copyright, the philos-
ophy behind intellectual property protects ownership. If someone uses another person’s
words as if they are his or her own, by not using quotation marks or crediting the source,
he or she faces prosecution by the original writer, who can claim monetary damages.
In recent years, intellectual property has become a pressing issue, especially since the
rise of the Internet. To learn more about the legalities of intellectual property, see these
helpful Web sites:
• The World Intellectual Property Organization (under the United Nations umbrella)
www.wipo.org
• The Authors Guild (See news and legal sections for updates.) www.authorsguild.org
• The Library of Congress, which is where copyrights are lodged and stored in the
United States. www.loc.gov

192
K
expression, always striving for a fresh turn of phrase, hoping to achieve a perfect capturing
of an image (Box 9.2). If they cannot find the right words, some writers turn to a foreign lan-
guage that says what they are trying to convey. They may even resort to throwing away the
dictionary and coming up with a unique word or set of words, when nothing else suffices.
Many fashion journalists lean too heavily on adjectives when they first start writing
prose, and they end up alienating readers who expect more than just a rehash of catalog or
Web site copy. While a command of adjectives is critically valuable in fashion writing, read-
ers get bored if presented with string upon string of them. Consider the difference between
these two sets of text:
Box 9.2
Common Literary Devices
Writers use many different techniques to get their point across. Here are just a few com-
mon terms to remember and use when writing copy:
• Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more words that are
in close proximity to each other on a page.
Examples: cool colors; red raspberry relish; vain velvet
• Assonance: Words or syllables whose sounds resemble one another. Assonance is
similar to rhyme, but not as direct.
Examples: a shiny time; haute couture
• Metaphor: When a word or phrase literally denoting one idea or thing is used in
place of another (suggesting likeness).
Example: Her gown was a summer day. . . .
• Rhyme: Words used together that sound similar.
Examples: blue shoe; mellow yellow
• Simile: A figure of speech that draws a likeness between two things or ideas, often
using the words “like” or “as.”
Example: His overcoat was like a yoke worn by oxen, heavy and wide across the
shoulders.
Challenge: Think of original examples to try out all of these devices.

193
K
“The cream-white, lacy edging sewn at the hem of every plaid skirt in her Fall collection
shown in London are retro and racy . . . ”
versus:
“Models skipped onto the runway like a runaway pack of Catholic schoolgirls, with creamy
lace slips tacked below heritage tartans . . . ”
What is the main difference between these two approaches to the same fashion sub-
ject? In the first blurb, the visual imagery is set by a telling approach, relying primarily on
adjectives. In the second example, the writer uses nouns and verbs to allow the reader to
draw his/her own associations, and the writer employs a valuable literary technique called
simile. (For the definition of simile, metaphor, and other literary terms, see Box 9.2) In fact,
the best fashion writing engages the same devices that literary masters use to write novels,
plays, poetry, and creative nonfiction. (See Profile 9.1 for an interview with journalist Robin
Givhan.)
Words are tools of communication. Because words can be easily misunderstood with-
out proper management, the most successful fashion communicators develop a set of
habits with relation to them. Here are some common-sense policies for effective word-
smithing:
1. Handle with respect. To do justice to the artistry of fashion design, all words
work best when handled with respect. Take the time to check spelling. (Is it
“Versacchi” or “Versace”?) Make the effort required to be accurate and precise.
(Is that a “kimona” sleeve or “kimono” sleeve?) Use the correct prepositions.
(Is the desired phrase “go for” or “go to”?) Respect grammar and spelling
conventions.
2. Become brilliant. Try to know 90 percent more than you need to know about
every assigned subject. Research first; write second. Do the necessary reading (in
print or online); ask credible people for verification; turn to experts (from the ate-
lier to clothing manufacturers); learn the background and history of the subject;
check back with colleagues, creative team members, etc., before words are trotted
out into the world. Words that get thrown around thoughtlessly are often called
back home with their tail between their legs. If an apology is demanded, that
means extra time out of everyone’s day—plus a loss of personal credibility and
worth.
(continued on page 199)

194
K
• Prof ile 9.1 •
No Fluff
An Interview with Robin Givhan, Fashion
Editor of the Washington Post
K
Robin Givhan, a longtime fashion editor for
the Washington Post, made history in 2006
by becoming the first fashion journalist
to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. The
Pulitzer Committee described Givhan’s
work as “witty, closely observed essays that
transform fashion criticism into cultural
criticism.” In one of her most talked-about
pieces, Givhan wrote that Vice President
Richard Cheney, who was attending a Ho-
locaust memorial ceremony in Poland in
2005, should have respected the austerity
of the occasion and paid closer attention
to fashion protocol (see Box 9.3). Givhan’s
online writing in her regular blog is lively,
provocative, and characteristically humorous in places, as well as intensely sensitive to
beautiful form, texture, and design. (Box 9.4 provides some samples of her article ledes.)
The following telephone interview with Givhan was conducted on August 10, 2007.
What is your earliest memory or awareness of fashion, or of clothing?
It was when I was five years old, around then. I went shopping with my father, which was unusual.
Normally, I would go shopping with my mother. He let me get these white, patent-leather go-go boots. I
thought they were the coolest thing ever. And he let me wear them home from the store! That was really
a taboo thing; my mother thought doing that sort of thing was tacky. For the next two years, in practi-
cally every photo, there are these white boots on me. I think I probably slept with them on. [Laughs.] I
just thought they were the coolest thing ever . . . I felt sort of grown-up, I think—going shopping with my
father, wearing the boots home . . .
Robin Givhan, fashion editor of the Washington
Post, received the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in
2006.

195
K
How did you feel about winning the Pulitzer?
Spectacular. It felt spectacular.
How did the different articles get chosen as the submission for the Pulitzer?
The newspaper calls in submissions. The articles were chosen by my editor, other editors, and by
myself. The nomination is done by the paper.
I can’t help wondering what you wore
to the Pulitzer award ceremony!
It was a luncheon. It’s a luncheon of
journalists, so it’s not a Hollywood gown
affair. I wore a day dress that I had bought
for the occasion.
Do you worry about what you wear
in public? That people are scrutiniz-
ing you?
I wear what I think is right for a situa-
tion. I never feel pressured to dress wearing
a certain designer name or shop in a certain
place; it’s not my personality.
What do you think college students should do to become fashion editors? Do you think
students need a graduate degree?
I got my bachelor’s at Princeton and my graduate degree at University of Michigan. That’s the tradi-
tional way. For me, going to grad school was really helpful because I didn’t really know what I was going to
do. At Princeton [as an undergrad] I thought I wanted to go on to med school, but then I was fascinated
by art history. . . . I liked to write, but I didn’t write for my college newspaper. For a student who writes
for their college newspaper, and maybe also does an internship in the field, maybe graduate school is not
that important. A question to ask is, do you love writing? Because I have found that the students who ask
me how they can become a fashion editor are not that interested in writing; what they’re really interested
in is styling. You have to make that distinction.
What’s your advice then?
Write as much as possible, about anything. The skill translates to all topics. And if you want to do
fashion writing for a newspaper, stay at arm’s distance from the center of the fashion industry to maintain
objectivity. Your goal is not to celebrate fashion but to eye it with respect.
Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger pre-
sented Robin Givhan with the Pulitzer Prize.

196
K
Do you write your own headlines for your
columns? They’re always so good.
I don’t write the headlines. We have a copy
desk that does that—they’re brilliant. They’re in-
credible with those headlines. It’s a talent I do not
have! Headlines have to be so entertaining, tell-
ing, and enticing. . . . Writing coverlines is another
skill that I do not have.
Do you write things for yourself—things
that are not about fashion?
I took some time off, I wrote about politics.
I do some freelancing for fashion magazines—
things that are a bit more like essays, personal-
essay-driven writing. Sometimes I veer away from
fashion here at the Post—like I’ll write profiles
every so often.
How do you stay on top of everything?
[Laughs.] I read the newspaper.
That makes sense! In print or online?
Well, every day I read the Washington Post, of course. And I read or look at other newspapers,
online mostly. I read the New Yorker, it’s the only magazine I get at home, actually, and I peruse most
of the fashion magazines. I read Ebony and Vibe, too. Some fiction and nonfiction, though there is not
too much time for that.
Can you tell me a bit about your writing habits?
When I am doing a feature, I have more time to work on it, obviously. More leeway, time to research
and sit down to write. My column runs every Friday, so I’m on deadline for that every week, and typically it
has to go in at the end of the day on Thursday. I don’t generally think of finalizing the topic until Thursday
morning. It would probably make others happy if I decided on a topic ahead of time.
Why do you wait till then?
I want my column to be as news-driven as possible. By Wednesday I’ve changed my mind about
the topic anyway. It’s part of the hallmark of the fashion writing scene that you produce these “ev-
ergreen” stories—the ones everyone expects, the ones magazines have to do all the time, the “how
to buy a pair of jeans” stories, etc., that get regularly recycled. I don’t have a lot of interest in doing
those stories. . . . If it’s summer and you’re buying a swimsuit, white is most popular. I just think it’s
A page from Givhan’s blog.

197
K
right for fashion coverage to be as immediate and as much a part of the news cycle as anything else
is. It should be alive and organic, not where you pull the story off the shelf.
In general, when it comes to news coverage of fashion, articles are more from a “how to” perspective,
or more of a practical focus, like a tool. I don’t think that it’s really seen as part of the cultural mix. It’s
seen as something you do so you won’t be naked. The color of the seam, the hemline, the top 10 things to
buy—these are all consumer-driven. They’re about how to make dressing easier. If you look at fashion as
a cultural language, there are a lot of other stories to be told.
“I want my column to be as
news-driven as possible.”
Do you travel often?
Yes, two times a year, for three weeks at a time. I go to Europe for the fall and spring fashion weeks,
Milan and Paris.
What about some of the other shows around the world—like India, or Brazil?
I’ve covered them. It’s a little difficult to go from one runway to another. At this paper I am the only
one [covering fashion], I’m it. And even if I did, I doubt if readers have a bottomless appetite for that type
of thing [focus on the runways]. When it comes to India, the markets are influential, but it’s not what they
put on their runways, it’s the manufacturing that goes on there.
Do you go to museums?
Yes. When I visit other cities, too. I was just in Chicago and went to the Art Institute and saw the
photographic exhibits. It’s helpful to follow all the pieces of our pop culture.
You were interviewed by Erin Moriarty of the CBS Sunday Morning Show. In that segment, you
essentially define fashion: “Fashion is what you wear and how you want to present yourself
to the world.” Would you still agree with that? Would you add or change anything?
It’s the way I think about fashion. I write about fashion from the most rarified view to the mass mar-
ket. We all know the importance of appearance and how we can control it. Appearance also gets into the
way we judge people and the assumptions we make. Fashion is about the choices we make depending on
the situation. If you are trying to impress someone—if you are going on a first date, for example—you
spend time on appearance because there’s so much tied up in that moment. We find it troubling that it
[fashion/appearance] plays the role that it does. It’s that tension that makes fashion so interesting.

Uncovering fashion

Recommandé

Recommandé

Contenu connexe

Tendances

Tendances (20)

En vedette

En vedette (16)

Similaire à Uncovering fashion

Similaire à Uncovering fashion (20)

Plus de Naheed Karimi

Plus de Naheed Karimi (6)

Dernier

Dernier (20)

Uncovering fashion